Waterfowl ID: Common Merganser vs. Red-breasted Merganser
Here are two waterfowl species that can throw bird enthusiasts for a loop! Can you tell them apart? Especially from afar, these birds can look a lot alike. Both species are long, thin diving ducks with serrated red bills. Breeding males of both species have dark green heads and black-and-gray wings and tails, while females and juvenile males are similarly brown and gray. Nevertheless, there are still a few ID cues to look for:
| ID Key | Common Merganser | Red-breasted Merganser |
|---|---|---|
| Crest (Male) | Glossy, green head has no crest | Less glossy green head with a long, ragged crest |
| Chest and Sides (Male) | White throat and chest with mostly white sides. | White neck ring with reddish brown chest. White stripe on side bordered by black above and gray below. |
| Crest (Female) | Crest is neat and uniform | Ragged, messy crest |
| Face and Chest (Female) | White patch below the bill. Color change between brown head and white chest is clearly defined | No white patch below the bill. Transition between brown head and white chest is more blurred |
Have you got all of that? Put these cues to the test with Bird Academy’s SnapID tool and practice distinguishing between Common Mergansers and Red-breasted Mergansers. You can replay the quiz as many times as you want. Each time you hit “Play Again,” you’ll have new photo matchups to practice on. Just click “Start SnapID Challenge” to get started!
Test Your Waterfowl ID Skills
Interested in learning even more about waterfowl ID? Dive in to the details with Be a Better Birder: Duck and Waterfowl Identification and learn keys to ID for common waterfowl species in the U.S. and Canada.